U.S. CUSTOMS OFFERS NEW PHONE NUMBER FOR 24-HOUR RULE CONFERENCE CALL

U.S. CUSTOMS OFFERS NEW PHONE NUMBER FOR 24-HOUR RULE CONFERENCE CALL    Due to technical difficulties, U.S. Customs has provided a new telephone number for shipping industry executives to conference call the agency with their questions regarding the new advance manifest regulation.
   Effective Dec. 2, U.S. Customs requires ocean carriers and non-vessel-operating common carriers to file manifests 24 hours prior to loading their containerized freight on U.S.-bound vessels overseas.
   To help the industry transition to the new regulation, Customs has made itself available to answer questions via its Web site and through a series of four telephone conferences, starting early February.
   The final conference call 24-hour-rule-related questions is scheduled for Feb. 25 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. The new telephone number for the conference is (202) 927-2255, pin number 279331. Headquarters staff will be available to answer questions that are not already covered in the agency’s 24-hour rule “frequently asked questions,” available on Customs’ Web site: https://www.customs.gov.
   The shipping industry may also continue to e-mail questions regarding the 24-hour rule to Customs at traderelations@customs.treas.gov.